Tea-ball.



G H. PEAL.

TEA BALL,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1916.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

mama.

99 l-raRY v pending GEORGE E. IDEAL, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY.

TEA-BALL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Fata -1 9d Dec, no, 19116,

Original application filed July 23, 1914, Serial No. 852,560. Divided and this application filed June 6, 1918.

Serial No. 101,895.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. PEAL, residing at Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tea-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a division of my copplication, Serial No. 852,560, and relates to a non-refillable tea ball.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and attractive article of manufacture in the form of a tea ball which is nonrefillable and which is intended to contain just suflicient tea for a single brewing and to carry the tea into the brewing pot, and by means of which the exhausted tea leaves may be wholly withdrawn from the brewing pot after the brewing Operation is completed, the tea ball with the exhausted tea leaves to be discarded after the brewing operation.

A. further object is to provide a tea ball for use as indicated, of such construction and formationthat it will be eflicient and thoroughly practical for its purpose and at the same time may be manufactured at very small cost, and in which the quality and cleanliness of the tea will be preserved.

A further object is to provide asimple and practical means for preventing the re-filling of the tea ball either before or after the brewing operation, and to provide for the I attachment of an advertising device, and to v the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown a merely preferred form of embodiment out the invention: Figure 1 is a plan view at completed tea-ball or package constructed in accordance with the provisions of this invention,

parts being broken away so as to better dis- 1 close the construction. Fig. 2 is an edge,

view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, parts also being broken away for better disclosing the structure Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but illustrating a modification. Fig. 4: is a transverse sectional view taken upon the plane of line IVl[V of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an'enlarged detail view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 4; and Figs. 6 and 7 illustratea further modification. I Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic viewsillustrating further modifications.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the structure illustrated therein, and particularly to the structures of Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character L indicates the container, and the reference character H indicates a suitable cover therefor, which cover is not claimed herein except in so far as it constitutes one form of a means for closing the perforations of the container to preserve the quality of the tea, etc. The container is made up of two halves, as 1 and 2. It may be made of any suitable material, but is preferably formed from thin sheet metal so as to maintain its shape and size either within or without the brewing pot, and metal being properly prepared to prevent corrosion, and being preferably sterilized.

The reference numeral 3 indicates perforaform an interlocking engagement betweenthe halves. It is intended that these tongues shall be of such. a nature'as to be fully capable of holding the halves together,but that they shall be incapable of being bent to re lease the halves and of being again bent to re-connect the halves. They are intended to be of such fragile nature that they will break ofi rather than stand such double The cover is prererahly shaped so as t fit snugly over the container. For this pur- 35 the factory.

- pose it may be made of two halves as 66,

such halves being formed with flanges 7 for engaging to ether. A suitable adhesive may be provide upon the abutting surfaces of the flanges 7 for sealing said flanges permanently together.

The snug fit of the halves 6 over the surface of the container, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, enables the halves 6 to efiiciently close the pores or perforations of the container. The

tea is thereby prevented from sifting.

through the perforations. The quality of the tea is preserved, and the container is maintained clean and free from contamination from outside influences. I prefer, that the cover be made of paper so that when it is desired to brew the tea which is within the container, the cover may be readily torn'ofi and the container with the tea be immersed in hotwater. The adhesive material upon the flanges 7 is intended to hold said flanges so that it becomes practically impossible to release them from each other without destroying or badly defacing the same.

The tea ball or package may be manufactured either with or without a cover and may be vended for individual use. The corn sumer may purchase one or more packages, according to requirements, tear ofl the cover and proceed to brew the tea by dropping the container into hot water. When the brewing operation is completed the container with the used tea is discarded. The con sumer is assured that the tea is as clean and in as good condition as it was the day it left Referring to the modification Figs. 3 to 5, the container is made of a pair of cup-shaped members 8 and 9, said members having laterally projecting flanges 10 thereon ar ranged in enga ement with each other. The

- tongues '5 in this modification are formed as extensions from one of the flanges and are bent around so as to overlap the other flange,

- without as clearly indicated. By this arrangement to bend the tongues more sharply than in the structure of Figs. 1 and 2. Likelihood of the tongues to break when unbent is thus more pronounced. By making the score or roove 5 at a point midway of the bend, as s own in Fig. 5, it becomes practicall impossible to unbend the tongues thus almost positively non-refillable, especially since, as above pointed out, it is only necessary that one tongue break in order to render the remainder inefiective. In this modification also the cover is given a difi'erent form. It consists of a paper member 'folded shout the container and having its edge portions caught down and sealed together by a separately formed sealing pastel- 11, which is. asted in position. In order to render this orm of the cover effective for retaining the tea against slfting through the making them. The package is' incense simply as a flat disk instead of as a cupshaped member as illustrated. This would reduce the area of the container. In. this modification also a tag 13 is illustra'ted.. in combination with the device, said tag being connected to a string or wire 14 which leads through the cover and into fixed connection with the container, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, the point of attachment to the container being indicated by the reference numeral 1-5. I The manner of attaching the cord 14 may take any form, but preferably consists in making the string 14 with a loop 16 therein disposed so that one of the sealing members or tongues4projects therethrough,

The string 14 with the tag 13'constitutes a convenient means for handling the package prior to the removal of the cover, and it also constitutes a convenient and eficient means for manipulati g the container after the cover has been emoved. For instance, it may be employed as a handle member to lower the container into a brewing pot and for raising the container .fromthe brewing.

pot after the brewing operation is completed,

' or for moving the container about within the brewing pot the tag 13 meanwhile having been left hanging over the upper edge of the brewing pot. If desired, of course, the tag 13 and the string 14 may be held entirely within the cover at all times until the cover is removed. By this means the cord would be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition more suitable for entering the brewing pot, in the manner described. The seallngpaster may be employed as an adventise ment carrying medium, as illustrated, if desired.

In the modification shown in Fi 's'. 6 and 7, the container, as 17, is made up of very thin sheet metal and is shaped somewhat like an ordinary paper bag its upper end, as 18, being open. After the tea has been laced within the container theupper end 1s folded together and bent'over upon itself,

as clearly shown at 19 in-Fig. 7-. The foldedover portions may be crushed tightly together so that a very sharp bend occurs, as at the point20, in the material. lit is intended that the material of thecontainer shall be of such a fragile nature that it will break at the point of the bend 20 item attempt is made to straighten out said bend. The cover in this modification is made of paper and is bag-shaped so as to fitclosely over the container and its upper end is also lapped upon itself, as indicated at 21, the lapping portions being permanently pasted together so that the only means of access to the conpear upon portions of the container which are most closely .coveredby portions of the cover, so that sifting ofthe tea through perforations will be avoided as far as possible.

A tag and cord, as described with reference to Figs. 3 to 5, may be used in connection with this modification also, if desired. Such a tag and cord may also be used in connection with the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if desired. When applying the ta and cord to the structure of Figs. 6 and the loop 16 of thecord would preferably be made to receive the turned over portion 19 of the container. It may, however, be connect'ed in some-other manner, if desired.

The modifications Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the container only. The cover, if used, may be of any desired'construction, either along the lines above pointed out in connection with the other figures, or otherwise. In these modifications the container is made u of a cup-shaped lower portion 24, which is perforated as at 25, to facilitate the brewing operation. A top part 26 is provided, the same being fixed to the upper edge of the cup-shaped portion.

In the modification Fig. 8, the cup-shaped portion is provided with an annular flange 27 at its u per edge and the top part over lies said being punctured in such manner that por tions of the top part extend through and form an interlocking engagement with por tions of the flange as clearly indicated at 28. It will be apparent that it is practically impossible to detach the top part andto again return it for repeated use. The cover part may be perforated, if desired.

In the modification Fig. 9, the cup-shaped part is formed with a flange similar to that of Fig. 8, and the top part has its marginal portion bent over and about said flange, as

clearl illustrated at 29. Here also it is v practically impossible to detach the cover part and to again return it to attached position for repeated use; This is due particularly in this instance to the nature of the material used and to the sharpness of the bend of the flange 29. The material, preferably aluminum foil, is of such a brittle nature that it will break when unbent. The top part in this modification also may be perforated, if desired.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the following claims, it is intendedthat 'all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompany'ng drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

avmg thus described my invention what ange, the cover part and flangeto secure by Letsoluble container adapted to contain a quan tity of tea or the like sufficient for a single brewing, and said container having means formed integrally therewith of a character to render the container non-refillable, except by rupture of a part of the container, whereby the container may not be refilled without detection.

2, As a new article of manufacture, a dispensing and brewing package for tea or the like adapted to contain and protectthe tea and to carry the tea into the brewing pot and to continue to confine the tea during the entire brewing operation and thereafter and to be withdrawn from the brewing pot after the brewing operation is completed with the exhausted tea still confined, said new article of manufacture comprising a perforated insoluble container adapted to contain a quantity of tea or the like suflicient for a single rewing, said container having an integral bendable por "on bent for sealing the container, and sar d bendable portion being disruptable and being adapted to be disrupted if unbent, whereby to render the container non-refillable except. with deteclike a apted to contain and protect the tea and to carry the tea into the brewing pot and to continue to confine the tea during the entire brewing operation and thereafter and to be withdrawn from the brewing pot after the brewing operation is completed with the exhausted tea still confined, said new article of manufacture comprising a perforated insoluble container adapted to contain a quantity of tea or the like sufiicient for a slngle brewing, said container having means formed integrally therewith of a character to render the container non-refillable except by ru ture of a part of the container, whereb t e container may not be refilled without etection, and removable means for at least partially closing the .lperforations of the container to preserve t e quality of the tea.

'4. As a new article of manufacture, a dispensin andbrewing packa e for tea or the like a apted to contain an protect the tea and to carry the tea into the brewing pot and to continue to confine the tea during the entire brewing operation and thereafter and to be withdrawn from the brewing pot after the brewing operation is completed with the exhausted tea still confined, said new article of .manufacture comprising a perforated insoluble container adapted to contain a quantity of tea or the like sulficient for a single brewing, said container being vformed of at least two parts, connected to gether by means rendering the container non-refillable except with detection, said means comprising a plurality of locking elements, said locking elements being spaced apart and being correlated to each other and to the container so that each is dependent upon the others for its effectiveness.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a dispensin and brewing package for tea or the like adapted to contain and protect the tea and to carry the tea into the brewing pot and to continue to confine the tea during the entire brewing operation and thereafter and to be withdrawn from the brewing pot after the brewing operation is completed with the exhausted tea still confined, said new article of manufacture comprising a perforated insolublecontainer adapted to contain a quantity of tea or the like sufiicient for a single brewing, said container having means formed integrally therewith of a character to render the container non-refillable except by rupture of a part of the container, whereby the 4 container may not be refilled without detection, and a separately formed handle member fixed to said container by said last mentioned means.

'6. As a new article of manufacture, a dispensing and brewing ackage for tea or the like adapted to contain and protect the tea and-to carry the tea into the brewing pot and to continue to confine the tea during the entire brewing operation and thereafter anding means comprising a plurality} of integral disruptable locking elements, and baid locking elements being spaced apart and being correlated to each'other and to the container so that each is dependent upon the integrity of the others for its effectiveness.

Intestimony whereof I afix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

enonenfn'. rnAL.

Witnesses: I

L Gnssronn HANDY, GUSTAV GENZLINGER. 

